Saturday, 11 April 2009

Bristol Expo Sells Out, No Tickets on Door

With four weeks still to go, tickets for this May’s Bristol International Comic Expo (featuring the Small Press Expo) at the Ramada Plaza Hotel on 9th and 10th May 2009 (and Mercure Holland House Hotel (Sat 9th only) have completely sold out.

Oranisers warn no tickets will be available on the door, and the only way to get tickets now is to ask to be put on the reserve list (details below).

The Expos websites www.fantasyevents.org and www.spexpo.co.uk contain fuller details of the latest additions to the line-up … including Mike Conroy and the Comics International team, Accent UK, Moonface Press, Sgt Mike Battle, Futurequake, Factor Fiction Press, Scar Comics, Ablaze Media, Orang Utan Comics, Small Zone, Self Made Hero and Genki Gear all booked into the Ramada Jarvis for both days … so here’s a short update on some of the books available at the Expos, with website details for those unable to make the event or unlucky to miss out on a ticket:

Massacre For Boys are bringing their brand new anthology title, Massacre For Boys In Colour. It's got war heroes, super heroes, Edwardian heroes, football heroes, animal hatmaking heroes, future heroes and an extra dose of war heroes. There are also some villains for balance. They will also be selling our Eagle-award nominated comic Walking Wounded.• More details at www.massacreforboys.co.uk

TOKYOPOP will return once again to Bristol Comic Expo with a selection of best selling manga from one the world’s largest publishers of manga . They will have some special offers only available at shows and some yet to be released new titles . Make sure you drop by and if you’re new to manga, let them recommend one of their series that might appeal to you.• More at www.tokyopop.co.uk

Time Bomb Comics bring their new, full colour, one shot, The Sisterhood: Morningstar, to Bristol – Space Nuns With Guns – the creative team of writer Steve Tanner and artist Dan Barritt will be at their table to sign and sketch throughout the Saturday.More info: www.timebombcomics.com

As we reported earlier this week, Insomnia Publications (www.theredeye.co.uk) will launch Cancertown (the book Bryan Talbot says “will disorientate you, suck you in, chew you up and spit you out and you might well be in need of a change of underwear by the end”) at Bristol, with writer Cy Dethan and artist Stephen Downey at the Insomnia booth to talk about the book, sign copiesand sketch characters. Chapter one is available for free preview via MyEBook

ITCH will be at the SPExpo with lots of good stuff, including Leek and Sushi's Manga Show, a chunky anthology with short manga around the themes of Friendship, Japan and the UK. They'll also be selling the environmental fantasy Final Blossom, and dark fairytale Amaranth. The books are also available from www.itchpublishing.com , although if you come to the SPExpo you get a sticker with your purchase!

Metaphrog - creators of the critically acclaimed and multiple Eisner and Ignatz award nominee Louis graphic novel series - will be signing copies of their books at SPExpo, as well as selling original art from the acclaimed series. The books can be checked out at www.metaphrog.com plus their regularly updated blog is available at metaphrog.blogspot.com

After a few years away from the scene, Asia Alfasi is back with a bang with a brand-new book and a whole new website – for now, exclusive previews of her beautiful art are available at lady-respect.deviantart.com – more details to follow!

The Astral Gypsy, aka Al Davison, is artist on the new Doctor Who comic from IDW, he will be on hand for Manga portraits, character sketches and signing. As usual a great range of graphic novels, manga and graphic art material will also be available from the Astral Gypsy table.

Unico Comics (www.unicocomics.co.uk) are bringing three new books:The Legend Known As… #1 (of 4)” is set in 2027 and 13 years after the Kato environmental disaster. The world has changed, Governments have fallen, and society is holed up in the ruins of whatever cities are left. This is a superhero comic with a twist. It shows how people react to an unknown person saving their lives and not knowing anything about him.Borderliners #1 - Think Spooks meets Philip K Dick with television influences including The Avenger, The Professionals, The Champions and The Prisoner and you’re close to the feel and direction of this comic. As we said last year when the book was first announced, with its beautifully realized British setting and characters, it’s offering a complex but intriguing plot that is sure to appeal to fans.Finally from Unico comes Uncle Tickle #1. Once upon a time there was a beloved TV kid’s show host named Uncle Tickle. When his show was cancelled after many seasons he lost his mind and killed everyone in the studio as it was filmed in during his live TV finale. Now he travels the country dispensing his own sickly humorous brand of retribution to all!

Futurequake also bring three new books along: the latest of its popular anthology FutureQuake 13, featuring the finest in the Small Press with another 48 pages of strips to thrill and astound: make sure you pick one of these up first as it's a top seller!Dogbreath reaches the amazing issue 20 with the usual mix of strips and features based in the world of 200AD's Strontium Dog. Plus, how can we not mention the excellent Zarjaz: Issue 7 sees the results of the recently lifted Pat Mills character embargo! Underneath a wraparound cover by Dave Kendall the mix of strips and articles ever includes a strip from Sancho's Al Nolan and an interview with Pat Mills himself. Check out their blog for more covers: futurequakepress.blogspot.com

Lastly, but not leastly, Moonface Press who, as we again reported earlier in the week are also bringing three new books along: Tim Skinner: Total Scumbag, a scabrous parody comic that takes satirical pot-shots at The Boys, Blankets, Lost Girls, Judge Dredd and Jack Kirby by the Eagle Award-winning team of Andy Winter (writer) and Declan Shalvey (artist). Plus there's the 64-page launch issue of BritForce, the first of an ongoing series featuring the UK's No.1 superhero team, written and drawn by Andrew Radbourne and the cover comes courtesy of Glenn Fabry. Last but not least is Brothers, another UK-set superhero title, this time featuring two warring siblings, a dark government conspiracy and a truly monstrous final battle at Canary Wharf. It's a 56-page one-shot courtesy of Andy Winter (writer) and Andrew Radbourne (artist).

It sounds like a it's ging to be a great event -- if anyone is going and would like to write a report for downthetubes, please get in touch as personal and work commitments mean we won't be there (sob!)• Ticket updates will be posted at www.fantasyevents.org/index2.html if any more become available – details on who to email to be put on the reserve list are available there now.

The site downthetubes.net, which began publishing in 1999, is edited by John Freeman whose credits include editor of Doctor Who Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, Star Wars Magazine, and Marvel UK titles such as Overkill, Death's Head II, Warheads and others. He's currently editor of the upcoming Strip Magazine for Print Media Productions.

About the Writers:

• Matthew Badham has written features for Judge Dredd: The Megazine, the Forbidden Planet International blog and more

• Jeremy Briggs contributes news, reviews, interviews and historical articles on British comics. He is a guest writer on Steve Holland's UK comics history blog, Bear Alley, and has written for Comics International, TV Zone, Spaceship Away and Omnivistascope.

• David Hailwood has written comic strips for various publications, including TOXIC, Accent UK, Bulletproof and Futurequake. He also writes comedy material for TV, and regularly contributes to the Temple APA (a showcase for UK comic writers and artists).

• Andy Luke is a writer who draws: he's s created the eponymous Andy Luke's Comic Book, Gran, Absence: a comic about epilepsy, Hold the Phones, It's Alex Jones, and graphic novel, The Watch Thief. He's written about comics too, mainly for Bugpowder.com, and has been involved with the Caption comics festival in Oxford. He currently lives in Belfast with a large box of pasta and a 7ft tall cigarette, and can be found online at http://andy-luke.com and http://awriterwhodraws.com

• Ian Wheeler is a freelance writer who also edited the highly-acclaimed British comics fanzine Eagle Flies Again.